EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This summary is based on the twenty-sixth year of water quality data (WY-17) in the Environmental Resources Division’s water quality monitoring program. Overall water quality in the city remained steady during this sampling period as compared to the previous year. By comparison with state indices, water quality is good in all systems.

Potential problems were noted in both fresh and salt water canals with turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), biological oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen, fecal streptococcus, fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, (DO) chlorophyll A and pH. For the saltwater canals, these problems are partially caused by runoff from the general river basin, which is the source of water to Cape Coral. Areas of high development and increased population within the city also affect both freshwater and saltwater canals.

CAPE CORAL MONITORING SUMMARY

WY ’17

INTRODUCTION

The Environmental Resources Division (ERD) of the Public Works Department of the City of Cape Coral conducts routine monitoring of aquatic systems in the City. This report summarizes the findings from October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017 (Water Year 2017). Figure 1. shows the locations of the main regular sampling stations for which monthly sampling has been conducted. Appendix Table 1. describes these sampling stations. The full set of data on which this report is based is on file at the office of the ERD in Cape Coral.

The water quality characteristics routinely measured at each station are listed in Table 1. along with the frequency and the applicable Florida water quality standards. Laboratory analyses were provided by the Chemistry Group of the Cape Coral Water Reclamation Plant and by staff of ERS. Staff members of ERD collected field instrument data. All methods followed APHA, 1989.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Tables 2A and 2B summarize statistics for all regular water quality samples taken during the sampling period October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. For clarity in interpretation, data were separated into freshwater and saltwater.

DO numbers made up 43% of the Class II water quality standards outliers. Fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus numbers made up 18% each of these outliers (Table 3).

Station 310 had violations in eight areas and station 262 had outliers in seven areas. Both these stations are in highly populated freshwater systems. Stations 295 and 390 had outliers in six areas and are also in highly populated freshwater systems. Station 510 also had outliers in six areas, and is located just north of Bimini Basin at the southern terminus of a large saltwater system and is constrained by large pipes, limiting water flow.

The State of Florida (Hand et al. 1988) developed a water quality index for streams based on water clarity, dissolved oxygen, oxygen demand, bacteria, nutrients and biological diversity. ERD calculated a similar index based on all of the 6 factors except biological diversity (for which information is presently inadequate). Because the State index is a simple arithmetic average, it is reasonable to compare the Cape Coral index with it. Table 4. gives the calculated indices for the main aquatic system types of Cape Coral.

The overall average for the Cape Coral systems was 42. According to this index, Cape Coral water quality is good. (The state range for “good” is 0 to 45; fair is 45-60; poor is 60-100). Overall water quality has remained steady as compared to the previous year. (Table 4).

TABLE 1. MONITORING FACTORS

FACTOR

SAMPLING

FLORIDA

FREQUENCY

STANDARD

Dissolved oxygen

Monthly

>4 mg/l

Temperature

Monthly

NA

pH

Monthly

>6.0 <8.5

Conductivity & Salinity

Monthly

<1275 or 50% >background

Turbidity

Monthly

<29 NTU > background

Total Suspended Solids

Monthly

<18

Nitrate Nitrogen

Monthly

<10 mg/l

Nitrite Nitrogen

Monthly

<10 mg/l

Total Nitrogen

Monthly

< 2.0 mg/l

Ortho-phosphorous

Monthly

<0.1 mg/l

Total Phosphorous

Monthly

< 0.46 mg/l

Secchi Disk Depth

Monthly

>0.6 M

Fecal Coliforms

Monthly

<200/100 ml

Fecal Streptococcus

Monthly

<33/100 ml

Chlorophyll a

Monthly

< 10 ug/l

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

Monthly

<3.3 mg/l

TABLE 2A: FRESHWATER MONITORING DATA SUMMARY

WY ‘2017

FACTOR

UNITS

MEAN

STD. DEV.

MIN.

MAX.

#

TEMPERATURE

DEG. C

26.07

3.70

16.09

32.29

506

DISSOLVED O2

MG/L

6.42

2.27

0.00

10.88

506

pH

STD. UNITS

7.77

0.38

6.58

8.71

506

CONDUCT.

MS/CM

0.588

0.276

0.190

6.003

505

TURBIDITY

NTU

3.21

4.40

0.01

59.40

410

SECCHI DEPTH

M

1.03

0.46

0.10

2.60

186

NITRATE N

MG/L

0.029

0.018

0.025

0.320

417

NITRITE N

MG/L

0.027

0.009

0.025

0.150

410

AMMONIA N

MG/L

0.077

0.082

0.050

0.800

400

KJEHDAHL N

MG/L

0.308

0.501

0.050

8.800

404

ORGANIC N

MG/L

0.238

0.507

0.000

8.750

395

TOTAL N

MG/L

0.056

0.020

0.050

0.345

409

TDS

MG/L

445.9

1856.0

3

24348

416

TSS

MG/L

7.003

12.616

0.300

174.500

414

TOTAL P

MG/L

0.029

0.037

0.010

0.560

411

FECAL STREP

CFU’S/100 ML

34.8

79.3

0

888

192

FECAL COLIFORMS

CFU’S/100 ML

262.1

341.9

1

888

189

CHL A

uG/L

1.70

3.28

0.1

19.3

192

5 DAY BOD

MG/L

1.48

0.88

1.0

6.4

417

TABLE 2B: SALTWATER MONITORING DATA SUMMARY

WY ‘2017

FACTOR

UNITS

MEAN

STD.DEV.

MIN.

MAX.

#

TEMPERATURE

DEG. C

26.49

3.61

16.59

32.53

704

DISSOLVED O2

MG/L

5.65

2.03

0.00

10.88

674

pH

STD. UNITS

7.67

0.25

6.77

8.39

704

CONDUCT.

MS/CM

17.065

13.898

0.284

48.700

704

TURBIDITY

NTU

2.34

2.57

0.01

22.50

425

SECCHI DEPTH

M

1.26

0.50

0.13

3.10

246

NITRATE N

MG/L

0.035

0.038

0.025

0.550

430

NITRITE N

MG/L

0.027

0.008

0.025

0.070

424

AMMONIA N

MG/L

0.073

0.059

0.050

0.500

420

KJELDAHL N

MG/L

0.243

0.197

0.050

1.100

405

ORGANIC N

MG/L

0.171

0.190

0.000

1.050

405

TOTAL N

MG/L

0.207

0.206

0.025

1.100

431

TDS

MG/L

8274.3

7052.2

6

23878

431

TSS

MG/L

7.16

7.82

0.5

76.5

430

TOTAL P

MG/L

0.056

0.041

0.010

0.260

431

FECAL STREP

CFU’S/100 ML

28.7

76.5

0

888

170

FECAL COLIFORMS

CFU’S/100 ML

129.5

257.7

0

888

172

CHL A

uG/L

1.45

2.85

0.1

22.1

178

5 DAY BOD

MG/L

1.48

0.96

1.0

8.0

429

TABLE 3. DEVIATIONS FROM STATE STANDARDS

WY ‘2017

AT FRESHWATER STATIONS

AT SALTWATER STATIONS

FACTORS

FREQUENCY

STATIONS

FREQUENCY

STATIONS

TURBIDITY

5

190,290,310,

2

435

390

TSS

13

160,190,210,

25

130,242,271,

262,290,295,

315,350,400,

300,310,355,

430,470,510,

390

511,540,600

BOD

19

110,243,262,

13

271,430,435,

295,300,390

442,510,550,

590

TN

2

280,310

NA

STREP

50

105,110,129,

36

120,130,242,

160,190,210,

315,350,400,

243,262,275,

430,435,442,

280,290,295,

470,510,511,

300,310,355,

540,550,590

390

COLI

57

105,110,129,

31

130,242,271,

160,190,210,

315,350,400,

243,262,275,

430,442,470,

280,290,295,

510,511,600

300,310,355,

390

DO

67

105,110,129,

142

120,130,150,

160,190,210,

242,271,315,

243,262,275,

350,400,430,

290,295,300,

435,442,445,

310,355

450,455,470,

510,511,540,

550,570,580,

590,600

CHL A

10

105,110,210,

6

120,242,400,

262,275,280,

470,510,590

295,310,355,

390

pH

3

262

NA

TABLE 4. WATER QUALITY INDICES FOR CAPE CORAL

WY ‘2017

SYSTEM TYPE

INDEX VALUE

FRESHWATER

41.56

Good 0-45

SALTWATER

42.54

Fair 45-60

RIVER

43.25

Poor 60-90

OVERALL

42.45

Note: index based on Hand et al. (1988).

Low values better than high.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

ERD continued to monitor 22 water quality factors at 39 locations in the vicinity of Cape Coral during Water Year 2017. Based on these observations and comparisons with Florida water quality indices, the overall water quality of Cape Coral sampling stations was fair, and in comparison to previous years had remained steady.

The recommendations for improvement of these conditions continue to include the following:

1) Lobby for drainage basin improvements in the Caloosahatchee River upstream of Cape Coral. The saltwater canals of Cape Coral cannot be much better than the water that they receive from adjacent and upstream areas.

2) Encourage the use of best management practices, BMP’s, in all areas of the Cape. Emphasize BMP’s dealing with fertilizing of lawns and gardens, pesticide applications, the installation of barrier strips of vegetation to intercept runoff along waterways and enforce and improve existing erosion control ordinances.

3) In some of the deeper canals, dissolved oxygen violations are consistently occurring. Addition of hard substrate on the bottom would lead to increased mixing and could alleviate some of these violations.

Literature Cited

APHA, 1989.

Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater 17th Edition. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC 20005.

With over one hundred square miles, Cape Coral is Florida’s second largest city in terms of land mass. That’s not the reason why so many residents and visitors call it paradise, though. Cape Coral is an exceptional and breathtaking city, with the unique feature of having more than 400 miles of salt and fresh water canals. That’s 400 beautiful miles of secluded and beautiful Cape Coral waterfront property. Often referred to as the Venice of America, Cape Coral certainly has all the makings of paradise and is the perfect retirement spot for the boater, beachgoer, or fishing fan.

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Cape Coral Canals 101

When deciding on the perfect waterfront property, keep in mind that there are many different types of canals in Cape Coral, including saltwater canals, freshwater canals, preserves, intersecting canals, and some that offer Gulf access.

Gulf Access: If you are a boater, a Gulf access canal may be important to you. If so, keep in mind that some properties are a quick five minute trip to the river that leads to the Gulf of Mexico, while others may take an hour or more to arrive. The closer or further down river you are located, the more quickly you’ll be on the open waters and out of the 5 mile per hour “No Wake” speed restrictions. More choices to think of include:

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Canal Widths: Along with freshwater or saltwater choices, our canals also come in different widths, which provide a variety of water views. Cape Coral canals range from 80 feet to over 200 feet in width. Some of the most beautiful also offer an intersecting view. The wider the canal, the better the view, so the wider canals are generally prices higher, as are the intersecting canals.

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